


The Dead And The Dying

by Black_Crystal_Dragon



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Character Study, Flying Dutchman, Gen, Ghosts, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Post-At World's End, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-09-16
Updated: 2007-09-16
Packaged: 2019-04-25 21:58:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14387949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Black_Crystal_Dragon/pseuds/Black_Crystal_Dragon
Summary: James Norrington has only until the dawn, because then theDutchmanmust sail ...





	The Dead And The Dying

**Author's Note:**

> Despite the fact that it's more than ten years old, this one is still a personal favourite.
> 
> Archived to AO3 21 April 2018.

For a man whose waking moments are so full of energy, expelled in extravagant hand gestures, rapid pacing and the twitching of idle fingers, Jack Sparrow is eerily still in sleep. The only real indication that life still pulses beneath his sun-dyed skin is the flutter of his eyelids as he dreams. There is barely even the telltale rise and fall of his chest as he breathes.  
  
James watches him sleep, a little amazed and more than a little frightened by the change that has come over the pirate in sleep. His face seems older without his eyes open and full of genius so close to madness that sometimes it’s hard to tell which Jack really is. It has something to do with the pirate’s lips not being drawn up into their habitual rogue’s smirk, too, and the slackness of a face normally so sharp.  
  
His lips are so dry that they have cracked and bled, but it doesn’t surprise James. There’s naught left to drink on the Pearl but saltwater and blood, and Jack’s not ready to resort to either. James licks his lips in sympathy and takes a step forwards, wanting to smooth out the frown that hasn’t disappeared from Jack’s face in sleep even though he knows he cannot touch. His weight, slight as is it, draws a creak from the aged wood beneath his feet.  
  
In an instant, Jack is awake, his fingers curling around the ornate pistol still jammed into his sash as he flips himself onto his feet. So like a pirate to sleep with his weapons upon his person.  
  
Kohl-rimmed eyes dart into the shadows, and for a moment James’ breath catches in his throat as Jack’s eyes lock with his own. Then they move on, and James isn’t sure whether he is relieved or disappointed. He steps back until his elbow brushes the curtains, watching Jack stalk around the room barefoot. He passes by the window so close to James that their shoulders brush, and Jack shudders, bringing a hand up to his shoulder and rubbing the cold away. James sighs against his ear and Jack turns sharply, staring through James’ throat at the glass.  
  
Ten minutes later, Jack is satisfied that his cabin is still secure, and that he dreamed the creak of the floorboards. He retreats back into his nest, curling into a foetal ball, his pistol still drawn and clutched like a child’s toy to his chest. He sleeps quickly, a talent gleaned from years of life at sea, where sleep is precious and snatched in cat-naps whenever possible between storms and attacks and back-breaking labour.

~

The pre-dawn light blurs the horizon gold even before the copper disk of the sun steals above the waves, but there is still no wind. James stares out across the sea and prays silently, for what little good it will do. He doubts that God listens to the whispers of dead men, but there’s little harm in trying.  
  
When Will appears behind him, he doesn’t know what to say other than, “He’s dying.”  
  
He knows that there’s no need to tell him; Will must be aware of every fading soul on the ocean, otherwise he could not perform the task appointed to him. He says it anyway, compulsively licking his lips again; they have already been through everything else that needed to be said.  
  
“I know.” Will’s voice is soft with understanding. “But it’s time …”  
  
James swallows hard and finally turns to look over Will’s shoulder at the still-sleeping figure on the bed. Jack suddenly looks small and infinitely precious. Unable to help himself, James starts towards him, but Will grabs his arm. He sighs and holds up a hand, and Will bites back whatever he was about to say. James takes a breath.  
  
“I’m ready.”

~

The sun rises a fraction above the horizon, brilliant and golden, and burns into Jack’s eyes, straight through the barely-there figures he saw in his moments of waking. When he blinks the white-and-black after-images out of his vision, there is no sign of two half-familiar figures and Jack can scarcely remember the cryptic words they exchanged.


End file.
